Not So WellAdjusted
by TessaStarDean
Summary: Gibbs has been giving Kate some attitude, and she's had enough.


A/N: This is not what I set out to write, but it's what came out. Hope you enjoy.

************

Gibbs watched her slam things around on her desk, frowning at the way she kept sighing. He kept his eyes on her for a few minutes, hoping that she would look up, but when she didn't, he got out of his chair and moved over to her desk.

"Kate?"

She finally looked up, but only for a second. "Yeah?"

"You alright?"

"Oh, I'm just peachy, Gibbs."

He was taken aback by her tone, but he stood his ground, watching her with narrowed eyes. "You can cut the sarcasm."

She tossed the file in her hand onto the desk and looked up. "You know what, Gibbs? You have done nothing but yell at me for the past three weeks. And now you've kept me here so late on a Friday night doing mindless paperwork that I've missed my dinner reservations. So don't stand there and pretend to give a damn about what might be bothering me."

For once, Gibbs found himself speechless. The last thing he had expected was a tirade from her, and now he tried to think back to the past month.

"I haven't _only_ yelled at you," he muttered.

"You have, actually. So why don't you tell me what I've done to piss you off so much?"

He sighed, shutting his eyes briefly. "You haven't made me angry, Kate."

Some of the fight left her, and her shoulders sagged a little. "Then what did I do?" she asked quietly.

Gibbs moved back to his desk, and she sighed, throwing her hands up in the air. But he just grabbed his keys and flipped the light off over his desk and came back to her.

"Come on," he said, heading for the elevator.

On instinct alone, she grabbed her things and followed, just squeezing through the doors as they closed. "Where are we going?"

He stared straight ahead, a small smirk on his face. "I owe you dinner."

*****

Kate frowned as they pulled into his driveway. "I thought you said you owed me dinner."

Gibbs smiled as he got out of the car. "How do you feel about pizza?" When she just glared at him, he sighed. "It's after ten, Katie."

"Why do you call me that?"

He opened the door to his house, stepping aside so that she could go in first. "Does it bother you?"

She thought about it for a moment. "It would from anyone else." Then she shrugged. "And you haven't called me that in weeks," she added quietly.

Gibbs stopped and stared at her, hearing the hurt in her voice. "You're not okay." It wasn't a question.

Kate met his gaze. "No, I'm not."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"This coming from the man who's so big on opening up."

His jaw tightened and he headed for the kitchen. "That's not fair."

"No?" she asked, following him as her anger rose again. "What's going on with you, Gibbs?"

"Just drop it, Kate."

"No, I won't. It's high time you opened up to somebody, Gibbs -"

"I said drop it," he said firmly.

"We're not at work. I don't have to take any of your orders."

"Dammit, Kate!"

As she opened her mouth to say something else, Gibbs spun on his heel and stalked back towards her. Grabbing her roughly, he pulled her against him and crashed his lips against hers, effectively silencing her. Kate stumbled for just a second, thrown off-balance by his actions, but then one of her hands was sliding into his hair as she pulled herself closer.

He didn't know how long they stood there. For once he turned off his brain and just enjoyed how she felt pressed up to his body, her nails scratching lightly against his scalp. When they finally pulled back to breathe, she swayed slightly, hanging on to him for support.

"Jethro," she breathed, her eyes searching his.

"I was afraid," he murmured.

"Of what?"

"That gunman."

And then she remembered. They had had a hostage situation almost a month ago where she had been taken captive. The gunman had held his Baretta to her temple, taunting Gibbs as the team tried to bring a safe end to the whole thing. When her boss had finally put a hole in the man's shoulder, she had seen the way his hands shook with rage.

"I almost lost you," he whispered.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "So...what? You decided to do nothing but yell at me from now on?"

He made a face. "I never said I was well-adjusted," he grumbled.

Raising her hand, she gently touched the side of his face. "Would it really hurt any less?" she asked. "If you pulled away and then something happened to me?"

Gibbs sighed. He should have known she'd see right through him. "It seemed like the logical thing at the time."

"And now?"

Instead of answering, he just kissed her again, softer this time. "Now I'd really like to have dinner with you, Katie."

She grinned, looping her arms around his neck. "I think that can be arranged."


End file.
